Poems

Poetry

The Ocean's Edge

My newest poetry collection explores the complex tapestry of family and the subtle interconnections that bind us to our past and forms the ballast to identity. Popular culture merges with classical allusions, weaving the colorful threads of a fabric composed of moments lived and still to be lived. These poems remind us that we are part of a collective history and that we are never alone.

The White Bird

You may be familiar with my novels, but in recent years I've devoted more time to writing poetry, which I enjoy enormously. I've attached links to a few of my published poems. I've also included a link to a lovely literary journal called Conclave: A Journal of Character, which was kind enough to feature some of my poetry in the Autumn 2012 issue.

"One of America's bestselling authors turns his talents in a wonderful new direction with this rich gathering of poems. Armed with a storyteller's sensibility and his trademark humor, Bernhardt writes of 'children, work, the dreams of others' in this beautiful collection filled with longing and loss, irony and humor, the bittersweet complexities of parenting, the secret dreams of writers." – Rilla Askew, book blurb